Teacher Training Books

ahhh, here is what a resource for first-year teachers should be like. short and to the point, it gives brief pointers on a variety of subjects without unecessary page filling fluff. having read countless curriculum documents in the last year, i have realized that i have a difficult time reading bulleted lists... the benefit is that they take out filler, but lose flow. the authour of this book has managed to maintain flow but stick to necessary info, through his cear and concise writing style.

while this book is exemplary of what a resource for first-year teachers should be like, it is unfortunately a rather skimpy example. it is great that rubrics are included, and i especially like the samples of documents to have in class (such as what to provide for a substitute teacher). this book would be five stars, but the tools were too limited... there are probably 50 different ways a rubric can be created, and this book includes only one. gratned, rubrics can be found online with ease, and a teacher should (in my opinion) always personalize the tools they use, adapting and reworking for their needs. however, the skimpiness on the rubrics is typical of this entire book.

this book has also been a very good refresher for me... after 2 months of relaxation and lesson planning over the summer, reading this book has really helped jog my memory of the theoretical and practical lessons that i learned in teachers college. you may be tempted to go back to it occasionally to get you "into the mood" (for teaching).

Expertly written for novice classroom instructors by Scott Mandle (an educator with 25 years of experience), The New-Teacher Toolbox: Proven Tips And Strategies For A Great First Year is a very practical and "real world" guide for teachers of grade levels K-12. From tips in arranging the instructional environment; to enhanced learning; to teaching test-taking skills; to advice on grading (including how to incorporate class participation into the grade); to making optimal use of the Internet's resources; to dealing with special needs students, and more, The New-Teacher Toolbox is enthusiastically recommended as being a highly accessible, absorbing, and experience tested manual of "tips, tricks and techniques".

While this book does contain many good rules of thumb for teachers to follow covering many aspects of the teaching experience, much of the information in this book is very basic and obvious. Most people who have had any experience in the classroom, even as a student teacher, would take many of the tips in this book for granted. This book would probably be the most helpful as an introduction for someone who has not taken any education classes and would like to become a teacher in his or her content area. If you are just graduating from an education program, skip this one.

I use this book with preservice teachers but find it is also helpful for me - an elementary teacher with over 10 years of experience. Different types of portfolios are addressed including setting up your porfolio for an interview. This book is very easy to understand and use.

It would be wonderful if this book was required reading for all administrators who work with new teachers. This would help them gain some understanding of the difficulties of entering the world of teaching. Very well written and informative.